I prefer my brushes to be in top-notch condition since I often focus on intricate details, and having a fine point is crucial.
When using watercolor brushes, it’s vital to eliminate any excess water, dry the ferrules and handles, reshape the brush heads, and let them rest with the bristles pointing sideways to dry. If you see any stains on the bristles, don’t fret – they won’t affect the brush’s performance or longevity. For storage, make sure to keep the brushes in a pot or jar with the bristles facing up, but only store them once they are completely dry.
Here are ten tips for preserving your watercolor brushes for a long time:
1. Clean after use: Rinse the brushes thoroughly with water immediately after use to remove paint and prevent it from drying.
2. Avoid hot water: Use lukewarm or cold water when cleaning the brushes, as hot water can damage the bristles.
3. No soap: If the brushes holds a lot of pigments, you can use a mild soap for a more thorough cleaning. (some pigments can be harder to clean)
4. Dry gently : After cleaning, gently dry the brushes with a clean towel. Avoid rubbing too hard, as this can damage the bristles.
5. Shape the bristles: After cleaning, reshape the bristles back to their original form to prevent them from becoming flat or deformed. Dont lick the brush in to shape! Damp the tip and twist the point to reshape the bristles and put them away.
6. Store bristles up: Keep the brushes stored with the bristles up in a jar or container to avoid damage.
7. Avoid leaving them in water: Don’t leave the brushes standing in water container, for all sorts of reasons, it will ruin a lovely brush tip and can cause the glue that holds the bristles to loosen.
8. Avoid direct sunlight: Store the brushes in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight to prevent damage to the materials.
9. Keep away: your acrylics and oils away, don’t even use gouache or inks use synthetics. Don’t apply masking fluid- it dries very fast!
10. Rotate usage: If you have multiple brushes, rotate their use to give each brush time to rest and avoid wear.
11. The travel brush– Dry them off as much as you can before replacing their covers. but, If they dry completely they are difficult to get back into the covers( you can catch hairs when putting the ‘lid’ on.)
I hope these tips help you take care of your watercolor brushes!
You can subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email, or follow on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Share the magic of creativity.
Very nice post! It’s so important to care for your investments. Some quality brushes, like 7 series W&N for example, can indeed last a lifetime. I’ve seen decades old brushes come up for sale which have lots of life left. One thing that might be helpful to note – brushes should not be left pointing up to dry. The water left pooling in the ferule will eventually weaken the glue, causing shedding. Asian style brushes typically have a loop on the end so one can hang the brush pointing down. Unfortunately western brushes typically aren’t made this way. Instead, lay flat after use or washing, until fibers are completely dry.
Thank you SO MUCH for your comment. What you say here is very interesting. Thanks for talk about that the brushes should not be left pointing up to dry. And to buy a lot second hand, but I never thought of looking for used brushes. I definitely am going to look for second hand brushes of brushes I would to love to try out, but are a bit pricy for my budget.